Former Kelowna resident charged with child luring in Alberta

Child sexual exploitation charges have been laid against an Alberta man who police say has been involved with a number of junior hockey teams and who allegedly used various online personas to lure teenage boys.

The 34-year-old Grande Prairie resident was arrested Jan. 23 after he allegedly lured and attempted to sexually assault a boy from the community.

The Internet Child Exploitation Unit of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) says the man, who has also lived in Kelowna, British Columbia, often posed as a teenage girl on social media.

The ALERT team also says online conversations would progress from sexualized chats to sharing explicit photos and videos, and that attempts were made to meet with the boys.

According to West Kelowna Warriors’ co-owner Mark Cheyne, Bruenig was a volunteer for the team, primarily on game days. Occasionally he served as a goal judge and also performed other tasks, but was mostly seen as a fan of the team.

Cheyne was not sure of the time frame, but estimates it’s been at least eight years since Bruenig has attended Warriors’ games.

“He didn’t have access to the team dressing rooms,” adds Cheyne.

Investigators are also working with other police agencies to investigate similar alleged offences in the Northwest Territories, northern B.C. and Australia.

Jonathan Karl Bruenig will appear in court on Feb. 12 to face charges that include child luring and making, possessing and distributing child pornography.